B.o.B - New Black

Several days ago, I Tweeted about my shock/disappointment in A-List artists, who in large part have avoided using their platform to speak to "the people" about what is taking place in Ferguson, Missouri. Since Sunday evening, a handful of artists have brought event-inspiring works to the forefront, including J.Cole, G-Unit and Eligh. The latest artist to step up to the plate is Atlantic Records hitmaker B.o.B, who is arguably the most successful, high profile major label artist yet to deliver a record about Michael Brown's death and what is means to be a New Black man in America. Over his own tense boardwork, Bobby Ray spits, "So who draws the first straw? Everybody hurt, who caused the first scar? Cause as soon as you see ni**gas get in a fight, you be the first mothaf**ker to yell out Worldstar!" Will this solo offering inspire radical change? Of course not. But what it will do is force music fans of all races, backgrounds and ethnic groups to tune into a real world view of America in 2014.